Ohio State Mansfield Dean and Director
I am both honored and thrilled to have taken the position of Dean and Director of The Ohio State University at Mansfield. I am very excited to become a part of the Mansfield team at this point in my career, which in many ways represents a logical next step in my progression as a Buckeye. Although I have degrees from both Penn State and the University of Connecticut, this is now my 20th year at Ohio State, exactly double the amount of time that I spent in those other institutions combined. I am the father of four sons who all proudly wear scarlet and gray on game days. My own little cluster of Buckeyes includes a recent Ohio State graduate and a current sophomore on the Columbus campus. I started my university career at Ohio State, and in taking this position it looks like I will be here for a very long time to come.
I believe that the very same things that attracted me to this campus are compelling reasons for you to make college a reality at OSU Mansfield. Our future will be guided by President Gee’s 6 Strategic Goals, which reflect a set of very powerful forces that are driving our university’s efforts to move from excellence to eminence. First, “putting students first” means that Mansfield campus personnel are strongly supported in their efforts to place students at the forefront of all academic activities. Second, “focusing on faculty success” translates into increased attention given to the ways in which teaching, research, and service activities can be better integrated on our campus. Third, adoption of a genuine and consistent interdisciplinary focus to our work will help to lead us toward “forging one university” with Columbus and the other regional campuses. Fourth, “simplifying university systems and structures” will involve the development of the tools and procedures necessary to make all of this work increasingly easy for faculty, staff, and students to accomplish on a regional campus such as ours. Fifth, “recasting our research agenda” will include the need to consistently project our campus as an active partner in Ohio’s economic growth and in overcoming its most pressing challenges. Sixth and finally, “revitalizing our commitments” means that the OSU Mansfield campus will play an increasingly active role in giving back to the communities that our university serves.
Check out our website, visit us in person, and have contact with the faculty, staff, and students that are part of this energetic and growing campus. We are The Ohio State University, and this is indeed our time. Go Bucks!
Stephen M. Gavazzi, Ph.D.
Dean and Director
The Ohio State University at Mansfield
